Constitutional amendments roundtable topic

Monday

Oct 22, 2012 at 10:47 PM

Dr. Patricia Gill, St. Johns County unit chair of the League of Women Voters, discussed the 11 proposed constitutional amendments as speaker for the October meeting of the St. Johns County Civic Association Roundtable.

It is important to understand the potential continuing impact of each proposed amendment should it pass, Gill emphasized. She says she believes the voter should go beyond the title and text of the amendment on the ballot and use research from outside sources to access the positives and negatives of passage.

Two examples given were proposed amendments 6 and 8.

Amendment 6, "Prohibition of Public Funding of Abortions; Construction of Abortion Rights," according to the the League of Women Voters, would remove the medical records privacy provisions to individuals now provided by the state constitution on abortions and would make more restrictive abortion legislation, if passed in the future, more likely to be upheld by Florida courts.

Amendment 8, "Religious Freedom," again according the league, would repeal the "no aid" provision in the state constitution and allow public funding to go to religious schools, thereby reducing funds received by local school districts.

Amendment 4, "Property Tax Limitation; Property Value Decline; Reduction for Non-Homestead Assessment Increases; Delay of Scheduled Repeal," if passed, the league says, would result in an estimated billion dollar loss state-wide to local schools and government over a period of three years, by cutting in half the taxable rate on non-homestead properties.

The roundtable has not taken a position on any proposed constitutional amendment. The League of Women Voters recommends a "no" vote on all.

To view the league's voting information guide, go to www.thefloridavoter.org/files/download/453.

Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper, will be guest speaker Nov. 12. Roundtable meetings are open to the public.

For further information, or to bring a matter of concern to the attention of the roundtable, call Tony Bosco at 553-0240, or go to www.sjcroundtable.org.

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